Published on July 5th, 2021 by Rahul Kumar Singh
Even communities living in the remotest areas appreciate how the Internet has spread its virtual tentacles right across the globe. This vast network has allowed information on any subject to be available within a few clicks, while in commercial terms, it has created a whole new dimension of e-Commerce. A diverse range of websites can tap into a potential customer base running into billions (over 60% of the worldâs population are regular users), while some sectors, a powerful example being the dating industry, are generating billions of dollars in income.
Who benefits from digital marketing?
There are currently around 1.7 billion websites, but each of these relies on some type of marketing approach, otherwise, how would customers be able to find any particular outlet? When a new site is launched, there will need to be a coherent marketing strategy to allow it to appear among search engine results. Especially with monetized websites, without the lifeblood of web traffic, sites would simply fail. Taking that online dating example again, some of the longer-standing examples have membership bases running into millions. But without digital marketing to attract new customers, even these resources would struggle financially.
Giving a kick-start to an online enterprise
Hereâs a troubling statistic for any entrepreneur dreaming of launching the next YouTube or Facebook. Studies have revealed that around 90% of new business launches fail within the first four months. A common mistake is to assume that because there are billions of web users out there, it will only be a matter of time before these potential customers latch onto your site. But an analogy would be comparing this to a fishing enthusiast visiting a lake teeming with fish, but forgetting to pack a rod. Even an extremely popular topic like dating sites â with 40 million active members in the USA alone â requires marketing to connect that site with the individuals who will start subscribing. A widespread gimmick where new launches are concerned is tempting newbies by stressing there are no fees to create an account and a dating profile. People considering signing up to Internet dating have many resources they can access offering comprehensive reviews, and might commonly search under headings like free dating sites in the USA, without payment. If youâre in the position of publishing a new web platform, there are many other, sometimes unusual, solutions.
The single greatest asset to any budding developer is social media. Where the WorldWideWeb is concerned, thereâs a well-worn saying about ânever having to re-invent the wheel.â Social media has already built an extensive network of potential site users. All you have to do is think of imaginative ways of linking to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and so on. This isnât about taking out paid adverts on social media (although as your venture expands, that could be flagged up as a possibility). The key is to focus on aspects where your content would flow naturally with social media references. Now seed your page layout with icons that link appropriately.
Seemingly ineffective landing pages
Your landing page is your front door to the outside world. In the real world, you wouldnât want this to be graffitied. The same goes for the digital world. Newcomers will not feel inspired to explore beyond your homepage if itâs a collision of boxed content, large and contrasting typefaces, haphazard image symmetry, or a garish color palette. It is important that your introductory page sets the tone, establishing your brand, and presenting user-friendly navigation. Break up text blocks with sub-headings, or links to expanded information.
Easy-to-learn interactive content
A classic problem with the Internet is that users have limited patience. They quickly get bored with web pages that donât offer much in the way of activity on their part. Links are fine, and âclickbaitâ â headings enticing them to check something out â even better. But a surefire method of encouraging your customers to want to return is to provide interactive content. Add things like quizzes, polls, downloadable e-books. With dating outlets, introduce forums and chat rooms. A major marketing tip with the latter is to think of your platform as being less a website, and more a vibrant online community, with interactive content, and continually updated blogs.
Try focusing on email marketing
You should aim to be attracting as sizeable a chunk of your customer base as possible, but also seek to reward particularly loyal ones. This can be achieved by incentivizing your members. Encourage them to add their names to email lists, in return for receiving news bulletins, a heads-up about new features, or offers for reduced prices on your products or services. This is also a worthwhile promotional tool because it provides a snapshot of your clientele. Your invite to be added to this list could include questions about their favorite aspect of the site, or their location. You can use this knowledge to enhance the attraction of these pages with more structured keywords, and even more exciting articles.
Voice search optimization
Because an increasing number of web users are accessing the site by voice control, developers require to factor voice search engine optimization into their SEO strategy. The better optimized your pages are, the more hits youâll receive.
Alternate search engines
Sites have traditionally been designed with the longer-established search engines in mind â Google, Safari â and so on. But more and more people are branching out to alternatives like DuckDuckGo, Baidu, and many others. This highlights another crucial aspect of digital marketing, to make allowances for all the possibilities. When submitting your site URL to search engines, do so for far more than the âobviousâ ones.
As has been demonstrated, a marketing strategy is vital to the success of any online venture. When any prospective web platform or app is still at the design stage, marketing is a key aspect of any business plan. Some advertising schemes have remained unchanged since the pre-digital days, while the technologies driven by the Internet have ushered in a new age of marketing innovations.
